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Friday, November 29, 2019

Wanita MCA national chairman Heng Seai Kie (second from left), Cheng Tsu Sun (third from left) and other members showing the lipstick offered for sale to raise funds.

KUALA LUMPUR: Wanita MCA national chairman Heng Seai Kie launched a fundraiser today to collect funds for Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TAR UC) after the government stopped its grants.

Speaking at a press conference at Wisma MCA today, she said the women’s wing will sell lipsticks and concert tickets at their annual general meeting dinner tonight and the meeting set to take place tomorrow.

Another man had purchased 100 tickets for a Chinese concert to be held on Dec 14 at the Bukit Jalil Stadium, Heng said they expected to get around RM17,000 from the sales.

“This is to kickstart the donation drive. We urge the public, including NGOs and entrepreneurs, to contact us if they wish to take part in this fundraiser,” she said.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng has maintained that MCA should relinquish control of TAR UC as a condition for receiving RM30 million as a government grant.

MCA leaders, including party president Wee Ka Siong, have attacked him for his stand.

Lim later said the government had approved an annual allocation of at least RM30 million for a trust fund, to be managed by the Tunku Abdul Rahman Alumni Association (TAA).

“This trust fund will consist of members of TAA, TAR UC student representatives and a finance ministry representative,” he said.

The RM30 million, Lim said, will be paid the moment the trust fund was established.

He said the channelling of funds from the trust fund to TAR UC would only happen if MCA leaders relinquished their ownership, administration and positions in the educational institution’s board of trustees and board of governors.

He said the condition was to respect the principle that public funds should not go to businesses, media houses, NGOs and educational institutions controlled by political parties. - FMT